Fate and Sakura – Chaos

Fate and Sakura

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Chapter 11

Chaos

 Jako returned from the village meeting after midday. He joined us on the verandah looking very depressed. A cloud of silence mourned the atmosphere once more. Hana brought tea for Jako but asked nothing about the growing incidents. Actually she dared not to since it wasn’t appropriate for her to ask. Normally women wait for their husbands to tell them about matters discussed in the elders meeting. Hiroto couldn’t tolerate his patience any longer so he asked,

“Anything from the meeting….father!”

Jako gave him cold look and seeing the distress in everyones eyes he tried to liven up the scenario. He turned to me and said-

“We really had a good time last night yeh!” to that I replied, “Yes we did!”

He later added “Am looking forward to our next visit!”

To that I replied with a soft smile “me too!” and then he got up and went inside the house. He asked his wives to wake him up for supper in the eve. We kept quiet for a while and then Hiroto asked us to join him for a short walk to the river banks. After walking for while Hiroto opened his mouth to speak

“ I don’t know what’s in his mind but for sure it’s not good!”

I agreed to him saying “He didn’t look alright at all! Maybe he doesn’t want to tell us.”

Ofcourse he doesn’t want to tell us but I feared that it must be concerning me.

Aiko added “It was the first time for father to act like that. Normally he would tell details discussed to mothers, but today he didn’t want to talk to them either.”

She became quiet for a while and then I said, “ But he asked to wake him up at the supper! So maybe he would tell us then!”

Hiroto agreed that he may tell us during supper.

“Whatever it is I don’t want to leave this place.” Said Aiko. “This is my home and I can’t imagine myself to start up everything new at an unknown place.”

I held her hand and explained, “At the moment no one is leaving, okay! So don’t think about it yet. People are fleeing because they are weak. You are a strong girl and no one is going to chase you out of this place. Just relax and we will see together what has to come, okay!”

She looked into my eyes searching for comfort. She wasn’t moved by my explanation but it did bring her some comfort and rekindled hope to hang on. Hiroto put his hand around my shoulders and spoke, “Together we will see my friend!” and gave me a hug and then went towards the stable to check on the animals. We kept walking till we reached the sakura trees near the stream. Aiko still seemed to be little disturbed. I didn’t want her to dwell in further so I started talking about trees, weather, plants and animals. I knew was looking really stupid right now but I had to. I had to do this to change Aiko’s mood.

She appeared to be dull in the beginning and didn’t want to cooperate but later my persistence left her with choice. And soon she was in the mood of fun and brought out the hidden childish nature in her. We forgot what was happening and what is going to happen to the world. Lost in our world we were for a moment. She began teasing me by calling ‘shiroi saru’ which provoked me to chase her around the banks.

Finally we lay down under the sakura trees trying to gather our breathe. Aiko was panting and laughing at the same time and then turned towards me. She held her face over mine and began exploring my features with her soft fingers. Maybe she was gazing at the natural difference I had from their kind. She touched my hair and then ran the fingers down my cheeks gently. Like a goddess she tried to please me and I lay down looking at her not wanting this moment to ever end.

So naïve and innocent were her eyes. Dark hair and tender fair skin with succulent lips reminded nothing more than the moon on dark skies. I placed my head behind her head and brought her face closer to mine. So close that I could feel her warm breathe on my face and soon it stopped. I felt my soft and wet lips on mine. Tasteless it was but a strong rush inside me wanted it more and I fed my desire with hers. We kissed for the first time and like what folks used to say at home that when you kiss a girl for the first time you are definite to miss. But it didn’t seemed like that we missed. We were lip-locked for a long time and neither of us wanted to get done with it.

My passion for her grew stronger as we held longer onto it. Deep breathe and fast pulsating heart beat worked for more and more. And then with the sound of someone approaching we stopped and returned to the sitting position not looking at each other. After while when no one was insight we looked at each other feeling little embarrassed. Aiko laughed at me saying that am so red and really look like a red monkey now. I didn’t chase her this time but held my face down and laughed with her feeling blushed up.

Soon we were joined by Hiroto and he asked us what was all the laughter about. We looked at each other thinking what to say and then I opened up my mouth to speak.

“Nothing my friend! Your sister has a new name for me now!”

Hiroto turned to his sister and asked “Really! What is it then!”

Aiko seemed like as if someone had asked her to cut her heart out. With her mouth opened trying to get words out I intervened, “ It’s red monkey now because of the heat!”

Hiroto laughed out loud saying, “ I always wanted to say it because you are always red in this hot season!”

He continued laughing while Aiko looked at me with a thankful smile. Ofcourse I didn’t want him to know what had happened just now. It would be embarrassing for me and Aiko as well. We stayed at the banks till late in the afternoon before heading for home. Aiko walked behind us but her fingers were locked with mine. Hiroto must have guessed that but he ignored it since now it’s obvious about our relationship.

We reached home just before dinner. Jako was awake and was sitting outside on the verandah smoking. Aiko went inside to help her mothers. We sat down beside Jako who greeted us like always and passed the cigar. We took turns in smoking till Hana called us inside for our meal.

Jako got up first and said, “Hurry up boys! Food is always delicious when it is hot!”

We smiled and joined him inside. We sat at our usual places and the ladies began serving us. We started eating and no one dared to ask Jako about the elders meeting earlier in the day. Our mouths were busy eating but we couldn’t get the taste properly since our mind was with Jako. Everytime he opened his mouth to request something we thought now he is going to say it, but it didn’t happen.

Soon we finished our meal and the ladies started taking the dishes away. Jako finally asked them to leave everything and come for a short meeting. The ladies did as he had asked and joined us in the meeting. Jako lit up a cigar and after taking few puffs spoke,

“ Our country is in a big problem now and seems like we had lost the war! The emperor had admitted that he is no longer the descended of the Sun God!”

To that statement Hana and Sheila gave a strong sigh. Jako added,

“ The Americans had destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki completely and we fear if anyone is still alive there! Men say that the whole city turned into ashes in just one flash!” there was certain cloud of quietness in the room and their eyes got my attention.

“We do not know whether there will be more bombs dropped here but we are sure that we had lost the war!” said Jako.

“We had sent a men to Sapporo and till he comes back we can’t make any decision! Many are planning to leave this village but I will stay behind whether the Americans strike us or not!” Jako’s tone seemed to be getting heavier now.

“But I will not risk your lives! You are free to join them and hopefully if nothing happens you can return anytime!”

He said in a descending tone as he finished the sentence. There was pin drop silence in the room for while and then I spoke, “I will stay with you!” Jako gave me a warm look.

“I don’t have any other place to go and if I go then there would be more risk in getting caught! So I will stay with you! And plus we have to go fishing as well!”

To my last statement Jako smiled joined by rest of the members.

Hiroto spoke, “The fields are ready with crops and someone has to look after that too! So am also staying behind! Who will look after the animals and Sato when these two are away fishing!”

The volume of laughter increased and then Hana spoke, “ Yes I really have to stay behind since I have to cook and wash for them!”

Listening to what her mother had said Aiko added in smilingly “I need to help mother so I will stay!”

Jako couldn’t help himself from smiling as turn after turn each member of the household gave their reason to stay behind. Finally he concluded by saying,

“Alright we stay behind but don’t complain afterwards!”

To that everyone agreed and went back to their normal chores. Jako invited me outside for a smoke and we joined. After taking few puffs he said,

“ I really didn’t expect that you will be the first one to say that out!”

He took one more puff and passed it to me. I did the same and passed to Hiroto before saying,

“I just like your company so I don’t want to leave! Am adjusted to this life now and would appreciate whatever it has to offer!”

To that he replied after sometime, “ No my boy I know why you don’t want to leave! She is staying behind that’s why eh?” jokingly he said but was right.

Aiko had told me earlier that she doesn’t want to leave this place and if I was staying behind I knew she would do the same. All I did was for her sake.

Jako then said, “you know my boy what these village elders told me to do? They asked me to turn you down to the Japanese soldiers and since you are an American you can tell them not to drop bombs here!”

I looked at him and said, “So what did you say?”

Jako replied , “Well I told them that he is not an American anymore!”

I gave him a stern look for a while and then lost my words to thank him for his consideration about me. Ofcourse none of us expected this much feelings towards each other but now the picture was clear. Jako had grown fond of me just like Hiroto.

Jako later added, “I asked them! Where were you people when all of you were begging me to keep him? Now he had become part of the family and you guys are asking me to turn him over to the military! I told them straight that he is not going anywhere because he is going to marry Aiko soon and stay here forever! I told them this and came home!”

Hiroto drew closer to Jako and said, “I would have done the same father!”

I looked at these two men and couldn’t help myself. Emotions soon struck me down and I was in tears. I gave Jako a hug and told him, “I had lost my father once and don’t want to lose it again!”

Jako hugged me warmly and patted my shoulders saying, “Don’t worry son! I will not leave you.”

Hiroto joined us and I could hear him sobbing as well. Soon we got back to our senses and then clearing his throat Hiroto asked Jako, “So who are going from the village father?”

Jako replied, “ Well I don’t know how many families are leaving but for sure it’s more than half of the village.”

Now that’s a lot of people and the village would be very empty. “Well whatever they want to do let them do son! They are just too weak from their heart and mind! We don’t have to worry about them.”

Yes we don’t have to worry about them but we were still very much unclear what would happen next. We stayed outside for while chatting and then retired for the day. Jako had asked me to join him again tomorrow for the fishing trip to which I agreed gladly.

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